newsletter

Is there life on other planets?

Scientists are always researching to find out new things about the world and universe. From what we know right now, there are no other planets besides Earth which have life on them. Nobody has found any proof of living creatures like humans, animals, or “aliens” on any of the other planets.

One of the reasons Earth is special is because we have the ability to live on it! For example, our planet has water, which life forms (as we know them) cannot live without! Earth also has a special atmosphere that gives us a climate that isn’t too hot or too cold – we’re conveniently located so that we get the right amount of warmth, light, and energy from the sun!

While some of the other planets that we’ve been able to study have some of these features, none of them that we’ve found so far have the combinations that scientists believe would be necessary to support forms of life. Scientists will continue trying to understand what qualities are necessary for a planet to support life forms and will continue trying to study further and further parts of the universe! But for now, Earth remains one-of-a-kind, which is one of the reasons why it’s so important to take good care of our planet! Make sure not to litter and always try to conserve and recycle. Go green to keep our planet clean and cozy!

Exploration

Name that planet!

Do you know the names of any of the other planets in our solar system?

Including Earth, there are eight total planets that circle around the sun. In order from closest to the sun to farthest from the sun, they are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. (Pluto is also sometimes counted on this list as a ninth planet, although in recent years scientists reclassified it as a “dwarf planet,” instead.)

To remember their order, some people use funny sentences where each word in the sentence starts with the same letter as the name of the planet!

For example, you could say “My Very Excellent Mother Just Sent Us Nachos”! (Or if you’re counting Pluto, say “My Very Excellent Mother Just Sent Us Nine Pizzas”!)